DeathCare (.com)

Although we might be giants in a bug’s world, their impact on us is not always small. In fact, an insect’s interactions with us can sometimes result in permanent consequences on not only a human’s health, but on their life as well. And once in a great millennium, the devastation is not felt by just one individual, but by entire populations.

The Black Death was one such instance where anywhere from one third of the entire population to, by some estimates, sixty percent of Europe was wiped out by a mere flea. As a result, this tiny insect changed the entire course of human history. No small feat by any standards. Perhaps some amount of acknowledgment should be given to creatures often dismissed as insignificant, due to their stature. As evidenced by The Plague and other decimation to species by insects, size does not always matter.

Let us take a closer look at the little pest that caused so much trouble in Europe, the Oriental rat flea.

It was thought by historians, that this flea piggy-backed a ride on rats who found their way onto merchant ships departing from Crimea, a port of call along The Silk Road. From there, nearly every port in the Mediterranean became infected with fleas carrying the bubonic plague. The disease quickly spread throughout Europe, nearly wiping out entire villages, debilitating cities and entire kingdoms. Death was almost guaranteed, as there was no effective treatment.

Unfortunately, Europe’s one major defense against rats was being systematically eradicated due to the religious hysteria and bias created by the Inquisition. Cats were believed to be the Devil’s tool, a witch’s familiar, especially if the cat was black. And anyone who owned a cat was under suspicion of being a witch. Guilt by association meant death was nearly as certain as The Plague itself. Therefore, cats were killed as fast as people could find them. As a result, the rat populations boomed and spread disease at a rate faster than cities could bury their dead.

Let’s say you were one of the unfortunate who contracted the plague. What treatments were available to you. Better yet, were your chances of survival greater if you refused treatment? Perhaps. Here are a few so-called cures:

The swellings associated with the Black Death should be cut open to allow the disease to leave the body. A mixture of tree resin, roots of white lilies and dried human excrement should be applied to the places where the body has been cut open.

The disease must be in the blood. The veins leading to the heart should be cut open. This will allow the disease to leave the body. An ointment made of clay and violets should be applied to the place where the cuts have been made.

Interestingly enough, it isn’t the bite of fleas that causes the spread of the bubonic plague. The real cause is flea vomit. By 1914, scientists had discovered that the Oriental rat flea also falls victim to the very disease it carries in it’s guts. Due to a build-up of the bacteria in the digestive tract, the poor flea cannot swallow anything more and must regurgitate the blood of its host as it feeds. This blood becomes infected and makes its way back into the bloodstream of the rat, or human, as was case in most of Europe.

You may think that because of more rational thinking in our modern day, better sanitary conditions and the advance of effective medicines, that the bubonic plague has been completely eradicated. But it simply is not the case. The Plague still exists and continues to cause death around the world, although the likes of the pandemic of the 1400′s have not been seen again and likely never will. It is interesting to consider that the fate of the world was once carried on the back of something as small as a flea.

Filed under: Causes of Death, Death & Dying on May 24th, 2011 | No Comments »

Upon the moment of their demise, most people make an effort to leave the world with a few profound words, something that sums up the meaning of their existence, or wisdom passed on from personal experience. Others, however may choose to ease the grief of loved-ones and perhaps their own fear of death by offering quips of levity.

Such was the case with Queen Marie Antoinette. While being led to the guillotine in 1793, she accidentally stepped on the foot of her executioner. Well-mannered to the end, she responded by saying, “Pardon me sir. I did not do it on purpose.”

Gallows humor has certainly remained alive and well, so to speak, in modern times. Take the case of the convicted murderer, James French, who was sentenced to death in the electric chair in 1966. As members of the press waited to witness his execution, he shouted to them, ” How’s this for a headline? French Fries.”

Humphrey Bogart, cool even as he faced death after a long battle with esophageal cancer, was quoted as saying, ” I should never have switched from Scotch to Martinis.”

Voltaire, author, philosopher and historian, was said to have responded to a priest’s insistence that he renounce Satan, “Now, now, my good man. This is no time for making enemies.”

The famous French grammarian, Dominique Bouhours, quite accurately left us with, “I am about to — or I am going to die: either expression is correct.”

Infamous revolutionary Pancho Villa, seemed to have been concerned with creating good public relations, even after death. His last words were, “Don’t let it end like this. Tell them I said something.” It seems that his spin doctors did not comply.

Oscar Wilde certainly managed to keep his wit about him. As he lay dying penniless in a squalid room after the effects of hard labor while in prison, he said, “My wallpaper and I are fighting a duel to the death. One or the other of us has to go.”

Comedians like Grouch Marx, followed that maxim of leave ‘em laughing, with quips like, “Die, my dear? Why that’s the last thing I’ll do.” And Del Close left us with, “Thank God. I’m tired of being the funniest person in the room.”

But not all last words were meant as a lasting sense of humor. Take for instance, the master of the macabre, Edgar Allen Poe. It just would not seem fitting for his departure to be light and cheery. In characteristic Poe fashion, he leaves the world stating, “Lord help my poor soul.”

Perhaps someone should have told General John Sedgwick about jinxes. A union commander during the Civil War, he commented on nearby confederate troops with, “They couldn’t hit an elephant at this distance.” Moments later, a sharpshooter’s bullet found its mark in the commander’s head.

Renowned whiskey distiller Jack Daniels pleaded for, “One last drink, please”, on his deathbed. He had succumbed to blood poisoning from an injury in his big toe after he had kicked a safe in anger when he forgot the combination.

And not to be outdone by a moonshiner, the great film and stage actress Tallulah Bankhead called for “Codeine…” bourbon in her final hour before falling to double pneumonia.

Speaking of actors, the acclaimed John Barrymore had this to say as he lay dying in a hospital room after a long bout of ill health, “Die? I should say not dear fellow. No Barrymore would allow such a conventional thing to happen to him.”

Filed under: Death Practices, Traditions on May 21st, 2011 | No Comments »

Memory can fade over the course of time, erasing the details of even a loved-one’s face. As far back as 1323 BCE, people have endeavored to preserve, if not the memory, the essence of expression — the human face. Through the use of death masks in all of their forms, societies from all over the world have been able to retain one of the most precious mementos of their departed family members, royal elite, the famous and the infamous of popular culture.

Everything from the most exquisite and expensively crafted, to a simple wax or plaster casting has adorned the faces of the deceased, capturing their moment of death for anyone to witness. Eventually, this form of memento was replaced by photography, but even this new technology could not capture the likeness of a human face in all of its detail and depth.

Nearly every nuance, wrinkle, blemish and in the case of George Washington’s death mask, even hair can help to illuminate the image that can become blurred over time or distorted by an artist’s brush. Through the use of a death mask, we have the opportunity to know the faces of history, perhaps as intimately as their closest family and friends once did.

One of the most famous of ancient death masks, is that of Tutankhamun, aka King Tut. Although it was not an exact casting of the King’s face, it was intended to bear his likeness in a most elaborate fashion, which it succeeded in doing magnificently. Made for a king, this mask was sculpted of gold, colored glass and semiprecious stones. Two key points of interest about the mask are that it bears the emblems of a vulture and a cobra on the forehead – significant symbols of protection and divine authority.

Jumping in time to 1616, let us examine another important figure of history – William Shakespeare. Historians have debated the authenticity of his death mask, some claiming that it does not match the know portraits of The Bard, while others insist that the 3-D technology used to define the image is more accurate than any artist’s representation. It may be important to remember that an artist who offended their clients, soon lacked for them knocking at the door. But, you be the judge.

Napoleon Bonaparte’s famous face often is seen framed in galleries around the world. It is also on display in various versions of death mask castings ranging from bronze to simple plaster. Upon his death, castings of his image were in such high demand, that several versions were taken. It seems that even after years of exile, the emperor still commanded some amount of popularity.

One of the most famous of our Founding Fathers, if not the most inventive, was of course Benjamin Franklin. Interestingly, a copy of his death mask was scavenged out of an ash barrel by a homeless boy who sold it for around two dollars on Second Street in New York City to Lawrence Hutton, the editor of Harper’s Magazine from 1886-1898. This one purchase led to the discovery of more castings from around the world, culminating in one of the most extensive death mask collections ever put together.

Moving on to more notorious personalities, John Dillinger’s death mask sold at auction for $3,660 in 2010 to a Chicago businessman. Perhaps it is fitting that public enemy number one remains in the city of his death. Even the process of making his death mask was done in a somewhat nefarious manner. An amateur criminologist, Kenneth “Doc” Coffman, slipped past the guards of the morgue where Dillinger’s body was being kept. He then proceeded to cover the outlaw’s face with plaster without being caught. One would like to think that Dillinger would have approved.

Filed under: Death Practices on May 18th, 2011 | No Comments »

(Read Part I)

The relationship between plants and humans is often one of sustaining life for the latter, although with the rise of the “green movement” and being more environmentally conscious, the relationship is becoming more mutually beneficial. However, there are instances when the world of plants can become dark in our perceptions, even life-threatening.

Sometimes, plants can leave a great imprint on human awareness, filtering into society’s memories and the stories passed to future generations for centuries. Roses are instantly associated with feelings of love or friendship, while orchids can evoke the sensual. And then there are other plants that remind us that life isn’t always so pleasant.

Poison Hemlock

Think of Socrates and you may also think of his well-documented death by drinking a cup of poison hemlock. Recorded in great detail by his pupils Xenophon and Plato, they describe the brew’s effects, how Socrates encouraged it to work quickly through his body by walking until his legs grew numb, forcing him to his bed. There, the hemlock seeped into his heart, paralyzing its rhythm.

His death has been dramatized in plays and films, in the artwork of Jacques-Louis David, re-told in schools throughout the world over the course of history until the mention of poison hemlock has become a recognizable source of danger. Not only is this plant hazardous to humans, it has caused the death of much livestock since it prefers to grow in pastures as well as along roadsides and waste places.

Oleander

Many gardeners are familiar with the attractive blooms of the oleander plant. However, its leaves are more notorious for their deadly effects, since children are more apt to put them in their mouths. However, ingesting any parts of this evergreen shrub can prove fatal. Urban legend has it, going all the way back to a published reference in 1844, that:

In 1809, when French troops were lying before Madrid, some of the soldiers went a marauding, every one bringing back such provisions as could be found. One soldier formed the unfortunate idea of cutting the branches of the Oleander for spits and skewers for the meat when roasting. This tree, it may be observed, is very common in Spain, where it attains considerable dimensions. The wood having been stripped of its bark, and brought in contact with the meat, was productive of most direful consequences, for twelve soldiers who ate of the roast, seven died and the other five were dangerously ill.

Deadly Nightshade

For such a lovely plant accompanied by a lyrical name like belladonna to have deadly consequences, is quite ironic to say the least. There are even stories that describe how Italian women once used the berries as a cosmetic, dropping the juice into their eyes to give them a brighter appearance. In fact, belladonna translates to “beautiful lady” in Italian. Even more ironically, modern doctors administer atropine, a poison in deadly nightshade, directly into their patient’s eyes in order to dilate them.

Ergot

Sometimes, the smallest of things can have an enormous effect on large amount of people. Remember the Salem Witch Trials, in which twenty people were tried and executed? There has been evidence presented that points to the real cause of the bizarre behavior that was thought, by the citizens of Salem, to be rooted in witchcraft. The real culprit appears to be nothing more than ergot poisoning.

Ergot is a toxic fungus most commonly found in cereal grasses such as wheat and rye, usually in very damp conditions. The symptoms of ergot poisoning can be hallucinations, burning sensations, seizures, peeling skin, gangrenous blisters and death. Sometimes, an entire village was effected by the deadly fungus. It wasn’t until 1670 that ergot was discovered to be the cause of up to 50,000 deaths during the Middle Ages, when people would succumb to St Anthony’s Fire, dancing and contorting in the streets until collapse or death.

Filed under: Funeral Flowers, Traditions on April 29th, 2011 | 1 Comment »

(see part one)

Humans, being both predator and prey, may have the fear of being devoured etched into their DNA, if not, from nightmares generated by a midnight snack grumbling its way through their digestive tract. The Brothers Grimm didn’t help matters by publishing tales of ghouls and other creatures lurking in shadows, underneath bridges that must be crossed. Why, for all we know, that skittering sound under the bed is surely something other than an errant mouse, something hungry, something waiting for you to fall asleep.

Zombies

From their introduction in the B movies of the 1950′s to modern times, the image of flesh-eating zombies has become well-known, if not saturated, throughout popular culture. You can find a horde of re-animated corpses hungering for living flesh in theaters, television and video games. Zombies are big business, big enough to generate income and interest from fans who gather at zombie festivals all over the country, participating in full make-up to terrorize a neighborhood near you. Or, perhaps, only amuse the cat. Obviously, there aren’t any real zombies. Are there?

As with many stories and myths, there is a historical or cultural origin based on either spiritual or religious belief, as described in the Sumerian epic poem of Gilgamesh:

“Father, give me the Bull of Heaven
So he can kill Gilgamesh in his dwelling.
If you do not give me the Bull of Heaven,
I will knock down the Gates of the Netherworld,
I will smash the door posts, and leave the doors flat down,
and will let the dead go up to eat the living!
And the dead will outnumber the living.”

But sometimes, a even seemingly ludicrous tale is based on some amount of fact.

Take, for instance, the case of Haitian Clairvius Narcisse, the first well-known documentation of a real zombie. Declared dead on May 2, 1962, then buried, he walked back to his village eighteen years later, causing an understandable amount of distress to everyone. News of this remarkable story eventually reached the ears of anthropologist and ethnobotanist Wade Davis, who spent a great length of time researching the possibility that there was a botanical explanation behind the zombie phenomenon. What he uncovered was astonishing.

Mr. Davis went to Haiti and obtained a sample of what is know as zombie powder. After much chemical analysis, it was determined that one of the key ingredients is a tetrodotoxin derived from the deadly puffer fish. When used in small very small amounts, this toxin can produce paralysis, slow the heart rate and respiration so greatly that the victim appears to be dead, while all along, they remain fully aware of their surroundings.

The victim is then buried, only to be dug up later by a witch doctor, or Bokor who will use them as a slave, often to work on plantations. But, perhaps another of the key ingredients of zombie making, is the belief that it is possible to steal someone’s soul and possess the empty shell of their body, enslaved for the rest of their lives.

Add the hallucinogenic effects of datura to that belief and image yourself resurrected from the grave, incoherent, terrified and in a highly suggestible state of mind and you may indeed believe yourself to be a zombie. For the rest of your life you will be given a daily dose of this mind-altering drug to ensure that you continue to believe that your soul has been removed, that your will is not your own. And if you are lucky, as in the case of Clairvius Narcisse, your kidnapper will find their own death, leaving you free to wander away towards home.

Filed under: Traditions on April 27th, 2011 | 1 Comment »

Human beings have often sought meaning in times of intense grief or loss. In the search for reason and comfort in sorrow, people can attach certain attributes to objects, places and other living things as having some connection to the loss of a loved one. The world of plants is no exception.

For many people, there is something reassuring in a bloom, that it can offer the potential for renewal and provide a sweetness, both for the living in their grief, and as a final gesture of love and respect for the departed. Yet, as with many things, there can be a duality with the role plants can play in our lives as well as with our deaths.

Lily

Of all the plants that have come to symbolize death in the modern world, perhaps none other than the lily does it better. More often than not, lilies are offered as gestures of respect to the deceased and their families during funerals. But how did this flower come to be such an integral part of the funeral rite? Who saw it first as a representation of death and as a way of expressing grief and respect? And perhaps, more importantly, why?

The classical world of Greeks and Romans held the lily in a high esteem, seeing purity in the whiteness of its blooms. Even the goddess Venus was said to have envious of its beauty, no small feat for a simple flower. The lily was also popular in the ancient Jewish traditions, being associated also with purity, as well as chastity. As Christianity rose from the same region, its followers also adopted a similar view of the lily and came to think it symbolized the virgin Mary, then later associated it with saints and martyrs. This last adaptation could have led to the lily being laid on the graves of the innocent, which in turn, continued on to symbolize the restoration of innocence after death for anyone.

In other parts of the world, lilies are not so well-revered. The red spider lily, botanically known as lycoris radata, is associated with Hell, or Diyu in Japanese and by Huangquan in Chinese. This particular species of lily is thought to grow in the underworld and therefore, to lead the dead through the various levels of Hell towards re-incarnation.

A highly poisonous plant that could indeed lead towards the afterlife, as it were, the red spider lily is often cultivated near and around rice field in Japan as pest control against mice and rats. This flower can often be found in and around cemeteries, used long before embalming came into practice. The bulbs were planted on top of fresh graves, also as a deterrent against wild animals that would otherwise try to scavenge the dead.

Coincidentally, red spider lilies will come to bloom at the time of the autumnal equinox. As with many agricultural societies, the Japanese held great significance in seasonal changes. This could have given rise to the belief that the flower was welcoming the end of a natural cycle, signaling the time for death, and to withdraw down into the underworld and await renewal.

During this time, it is customary for Japanese families to visit the tombs of their ancestors, tend to any needed maintenance, and leave offerings. Many times, red spider lilies are left as a show of respect, most especially in Buddhist traditions that also include rituals that welcome the arrival of fall. One particular day of celebration, Higan, means “to reach the other shore”, which can refer to both physical death as well as removing what hinders us towards peace and enlightenment.

Read Part II

Filed under: Death Practices, Funeral Flowers, Grief and Grieving on April 15th, 2011 | 1 Comment »

Nearly everyone has a fear of death, but there are some who refuse to accept its grip pulling them from the living world. There reasoning can range from beliefs in punishment in the afterlife for bad behavior, unfinished business, or simply a zest for being alive. Sometimes, atheists who feel that the time they have is all there is, may be reluctant to leave the world when their life ends. And then, there are those who suffer from illness or disease that modern medicine cannot resolve.

But, can anyone truly cheat death? Some people seem to think so. With hope for extending their existence on the planet, they turn to a highly controversial science called Cryonics. Many people may be familiar with the term only from the sensationalized headlines reporting on Walt Disney’s supposed freezing, which have been found to be untrue. But what, exactly is cryonics? Does the process begin before or after death? Let us have a look.

Simply put, cryonics is the low-temperature suspension of decomposition in human beings or animals immediately after death, with the hope of reviving the patient sometime in the future when medical technology will allow resuscitation and treatment of their terminal illness. Currently, there are about 200 people who have undergone the procedure and are presumably waiting for their future.

The theory in this field, holds that the human personality is maintained within the cells of the brain and can survive despite the absence of brain activity, superseding clinical death. Therefore, even if certain organs are no retrievable, the essence of the patient remains intact.

The practice of cryonic suspension has resulted in a myriad of moral, ethical and religious debates. In some religious traditions, such as Buddhist, the body must be allowed to return to earth to complete the cycle of life. If this is not allowed to happen, the deceased could suffer a spiritual stagnation on their journey after death. In Jewish burial practices, the body is not to be disturbed by embalming or the removal of organs and must be buried as soon as possible.

There also follows the dilemma of not allowing the opportunity for a public ceremony with the deceased, for loved-ones to express their grief and be given the chance to have one last goodbye and to begin the process of acceptance and healing. Many people have difficulty with letting go and can find it nearly impossible to do so without seeing physical proof that their loved-one has actually passed away. Imagine the strain of never having closure if someone you cared deeply for had passed, yet their body remained suspended, waiting for re-animation. Are they really dead? What if you should fall in love with someone new? Would you consider it cheating and feel guilt for it?

And then, there is the scientific debate over the merits of cryonics, mainly, can it even work? As of yet, there is no scientific proof that it does. No one has ever been resurrected from their frozen state. For many people in the medical and scientific world, cryonics is nothing more than theory at best. The scientific method based upon tests and proof and tests once more. It is understandable why the view on cryonics is less than positive.

Yet, science can often begin with an idea that, at first, may seems ludicrous to many. Given the fact that the human brain is not entirely understood, no one really knows what would happen to it, if it were to be re-awakened after death. The possibility of life is enough for some to pursue any chance for its extension no matter how far they must stretch.

Filed under: Alternatives, History of Funerals on April 13th, 2011 | No Comments »

From the first time people sat around a campfire and scared each other with ghost stories and other tales of the supernatural, many have wondered if there was a grain of truth to the tales. More often than not, stories are simply stories, a means of entertainment, cautionary tales of morality or a way to keep children from straying too far. But, sometimes, there is a basis of fact in the tales and superstitions passed down for generations.

Vampires

For centuries, the physical manifestations of good and evil existed nearly everywhere. Nearly every culture has made reference to some form of a spiritual parasite that can drain the life-force from the living. In Christian traditions, the Devil could appear in many forms and could very well meet you on the road to steal away your soul. And if not the Devil, then one of his servants, one of which was the vampire.

One would do well to keep in mind that many people have a fear of the unknown, and quite often, an overwhelming fear of death, worrying over what might be waiting for them in the afterlife. Even worse, what might have crept out from the underworld, waiting in the shadows. Given the lack of understanding about the process of decomposition until modern science and medicine explained it over the last 100 years or so, it’s not surprising that misunderstandings of the human body fueled superstitions and beliefs.

Add to that, the ignorance of medical conditions such as acute catalepsy, in which the sufferer’s respiration and heart rate become extremely faint and their muscles become so rigid that they are mistaken for a corpse. Imagine, if you were to witness an apparent death, only to see what you thought was a corpse, rise up and speak. Compound this sight with a belief that evil walks the earth in physical form, equipped with supernatural power with the intent of causing great harm, ready to take your very soul. How would you react?

There were quite a number of ways in which the dead became the undead, but the similarities of identifying the demonic were usually but a few. One of the signs was that, if a suspected vampire’s grave was opened and the corpse had blood dripping out of its mouth, it was proof that the thing had recently fed. What the people of that time did not understand was that bodily fluids are pushed out through the orifices during decomposition.

Another “sign” of a vampire was that their eyes remained open wide, bulging in some instances. Since the eyes are one of the first things to undergo the process of rigor mortis, it’s easy to understand the mistaken belief that the dead aren’t quite dead, especially when the body’ gasses create pressure that cause the eyes to bulge. This trait of the vampire led to the conclusion that it had hypnotic power over its victims, which could clearly become romanticized as seduction in literature and film.

One of the most signature features of recognizing a vampire is by the presence of fangs. These are the tools of their trade, as legend tells us, what they use to feast on the living or turn someone else into a member of the undead. In reality, the protuberance of teeth was due, once again, to decomposition and rigor mortis if the deceased had died in pain or surprise, leaving a grimace on their face. Because of the belief held at that time, was that the body would remain flexible if uncorrupted by evil, a rigid snarl was a sure sign of vampirism.

Read Part Two

Filed under: Traditions on April 8th, 2011 | 1 Comment »

In many traditions all over the world, death is viewed as a transition from one existence to another. Life co-existed with death, both in the literal and metaphorical sense. To lose a part of one’s self was necessary to allow a place for new growth to begin. Discarding what was no longer needed, often had a concrete basis in the everyday lives of villagers working the fields, enduring the hardships of storms, diseased livestock and loss of crops. There was little room for being sentimental.

The Morrigan

As a result, in part, sometimes a deity was assigned the dual role of presiding over both life and death since the two were so interconnected. Life must fill the vacancy of death and death must come to claim life that requires transformation. In Celtic mythology, this dual role was given to the goddess known as The Morrigan.

Presiding in the underworld, as with in most other traditions of afterlife deities, she could appear as either a young woman, a mother figure, a hag or in the form of an animal, usually a crow. As the legend tells us, if you were to encounter her in the form of a hag, washing blood from your clothes or armor in a ford, you were certain to die soon. There was a long-standing tradition of washer women, or “bean nighe,” who were portents of death from the Underworld, seen washing the grave clothes of the soon-to-be departed.

The Morrigan was often referred to as a triple-goddess, or maiden, mother, crone, encompassing the entire life-cycle of a living existence. And having the duty as soul keepers of the dead, she held the responsibility to offer spiritual guidance and to escort and the deceased towards rebirth. This function clearly shows the regenerative aspect of The Morrigan, an aspect that is often repeated throughout other ancient traditions all over the world.

Warriors were typically prepared to sacrificed their lives in order to preserve their lands and the well-being of their loved-ones and quite often, a romanticized view was taken of death. It was thought that they would be met by a goddess, god or other type of deity to escort them to the afterlife and to reward. This was not so true with The Morrigan’s function. Her primary role on the battlefield was to select who would live and who would die, by rousing either a warrior’s courage or fear, often a deciding factor of battle.

Cu Chulainn was an especially famous Celtic warrior hero, linked in legend with The Morrigan and often times, his story is interpreted as a tale or morality. Essentially, he spurned her advances with such disrespect and arrogance, that The Morrigan took action to see him come to his death, by conspiring with Cu Chulainn’s enemies. Although a great warrior, on a level with Achiles, he seals his fate for an upcoming battle when he is tricked by The Morrigan into breaking a taboo against eating a certain type of meat, which would result in a spiritual weakening.

During the battle, Cu Chulainn is struck with a magic spear, causing a mortal wound. But before he dies, he ties himself to a large stone so that he will meet death standing up. Because he was such a ferocious warrior, his enemies would not believe him to be dead until a crow landed upon his shoulder and began to pluck out his eyes. As was mentioned before, The Morrigan was often seen in the form of a crow, a well-known symbol of death throughout the world.

Perhaps the triple-goddess got her way after all.

Filed under: History of Funerals, Traditions on April 4th, 2011 | No Comments »

Humans have had a close association with the natural world to some degree, despite the number of walls built, concrete poured or lights lit to keep the wild where many think it should be in check. But despite how civilized the world may appear, there can be many reminders that our fate is not always in our control.

In nearly every tradition around the world, animals have often been seen as symbols as a bridge from world of the dead. Sometimes, their physical appearance or behavior in the wild could be reason enough for the association with death. But, with others, the roots of their origins as harbingers have become as lost as the undergrowth of a dark woods.

Black Dog

For centuries, English folklore has told of a creature typically seen at night along a deserted road or bridge, red eyes glaring from an enormous canine head, blacker than shadows. If you were foolish enough to pass by the beast, you were certain to die. However, avoiding a black dog did not always guarantee life. Black dogs were often associated with the devil and sinners had much to fear about the underworld.

The origins of this myth could have sprung from the pool of Greek and Roman traditions that spoke of Ceberus, the three-headed dog that guarded the gates of Hades. Given the influence Rome left upon Briton during and after the invasions, it would stand to reason that more than Roman roads and fortifications were left imprinted into Celtic soil.

But then, canines have often become symbols of death, in a variety of ancient traditions, such as with the jackal-headed god Anubis. Perhaps due to their habits of scavenging to survive by lurking cemeteries for fresh graves, battle sites and field hospitals, they have been linked with death and dying.

Crows And Ravens

This is but one more animal that, as a result of often being found scavenging the dead, has worked its way into our fear of death and ultimately, into our mythology. Nearly everyone is familiar with Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven,” who torments the narrator with portents of unending gloom:

And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon’s that is dreaming,
And the lamplight o’er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
Shall be lifted – nevermore!
~~Edgar Allan Poe

The color black has also come to represent death in many ways in many traditions, symbolizing the unknown, the decay of flesh and the opposite of illumination and light. It may be no wonder that crows and ravens fill the role of being omens of our end quite naturally.

For the ancient Romans, to hear an owl’s hoot meant that death was certain to be close. Even Julius Caesar was not immune from mortality, as his death was thought to have been predicted by an owl. Hopefully, for the offending owl, it did not fall to the custom of being killed and nailed to Caesar’s door as a talisman against death.

Some Native American tribes, held the belief that owls were messengers of a family member’s sickness or even their demise, while others saw them as living creatures that held the spirits of the departed, requiring respect and observance. Other people, like the Hopi, l saw the owl as a living god of the dead. There were likely as many variations of the owl’s myth as there were tribes, but typically, the agreement was that the owl was a creature to be listened to, that it talked of transition from life to death with the silence of its wings.

Filed under: Death Practices, History of Funerals, Traditions on March 25th, 2011 | No Comments »